Call to Action: Bolstering the Diminishing Pediatric Nursing Workforce.

Background: Pediatric workforce shortages became more apparent with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the rise in other viruses. Among factors affecting these shortages are undergraduate and graduate curricula that include pediatric content and clinical experiences.

Method: A narrative review was conducted to examine the state of the pediatric nursing workforce, describe curricular models in undergraduate and graduate programs, and determine the effects of these models on pediatric content and clinical experiences as well as subsequent employment in pediatric nursing.

Association of falls and fear of falling with objectively-measured driving habits among older drivers: LongROAD study.

Objective: Falls in older adults are associated with increased motor vehicle crash risk, possibly mediated by driving behavior. We examined the relationship of falls and fear of falling (FOF) with subsequent objectively measured driving habits.

Methods: This multi-site, prospective cohort study enrolled 2990 active drivers aged 65-79 (53% female).

Self-Reported Opioid Use and Driving Outcomes among Older Adults: The AAA LongROAD Study.

Background: Opioid medications are important therapeutic options to mitigate the harmful effects of pain but can also impair driving ability. We sought to explore opioid use, pain levels, and driving experiences among older drivers.

Methods: Cognitively intact drivers ages 65 to 79 years were recruited for the multisite AAA Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD) study (n = 2990).

Cannabis use in older drivers in Colorado: The LongROAD Study.

This study examined cannabis use and driving outcomes among older drivers in Colorado, which has legalized medical and recreational use. The associations of self-reported past-year cannabis use with diverse driving outcomes were assessed in 598 drivers aged 65-79 (51% female, 70% with postsecondary education), using regression analysis to adjust for health and sociodemographic characteristics. Two hundred forty four (40.

Investigation of elevation as a risk factor for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy among Colorado women between 2007 and 2015.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine the association between high elevation and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP).

Methods: Retrospective cohort study using Colorado birth certificate data to compare HDP at high (≥8,000 ft), moderate (4,501-7,999 ft), or low (≤4,500 ft) elevation using logistic regression.

Results: Among the cohort (n = 314,431), 3.

β1-subunit-induced structural rearrangements of the Ca2+- and voltage-activated K+ (BK) channel.

Large-conductance Ca(2+)- and voltage-activated K(+) (BK) channels are involved in a large variety of physiological processes. Regulatory β-subunits are one of the mechanisms responsible for creating BK channel diversity fundamental to the adequate function of many tissues. However, little is known about the structure of its voltage sensor domain.

Moving gating charges through the gating pore in a Kv channel voltage sensor.

Voltage sensor domains (VSDs) regulate ion channels and enzymes by transporting electrically charged residues across a hydrophobic VSD constriction called the gating pore or hydrophobic plug. How the gating pore controls the gating charge movement presently remains debated. Here, using saturation mutagenesis and detailed analysis of gating currents from gating pore mutations in the Shaker Kv channel, we identified statistically highly significant correlations between VSD function and physicochemical properties of gating pore residues.

Nano-positioning system for structural analysis of functional homomeric proteins in multiple conformations.

Proteins may undergo multiple conformational changes required for their function. One strategy used to estimate target-site positions in unknown structural conformations involves single-pair resonance energy transfer (RET) distance measurements. However, interpretation of inter-residue distances is difficult when applied to three-dimensional structural rearrangements, especially in homomeric systems.

Symmetry-constrained analysis of pulsed double electron-electron resonance (DEER) spectroscopy reveals the dynamic nature of the KcsA activation gate.

Distance determination from an echo intensity modulation obtained by pulsed double electron-electron resonance (DEER) experiment is a mathematically ill-posed problem. Tikhonov regularization yields distance distributions that can be difficult to interpret, especially in a system with multiple discrete distance distributions. Here, we show that by using geometric fit constraints in symmetric homo-oligomeric protein systems, we were able to increase the accuracy of a model-based fit solution based on a sum of Rice distributions.

Fluorescence detection of the movement of single KcsA subunits reveals cooperativity.

The prokaryotic KcsA channel is gated at the helical bundle crossing by intracellular protons and inactivates at the extracellular selectivity filter. The C-terminal transmembrane helix has to undergo a conformational change for potassium ions to access the central cavity. Whereas a partial opening of the tetrameric channel is suggested to be responsible for subconductance levels of ion channels, including KcsA, a cooperative opening of the 4 subunits is postulated as the final opening step.

CL22 - a novel cationic peptide for efficient transfection of mammalian cells.

Condensing peptide-DNA complexes have great potential as nonviral agents for gene delivery. To date, however, such complexes have given transfection activities greatly inferior to adenovirus and somewhat inferior to cationic lipid-DNA complexes, even for cell lines and primary cells in vitro. We report here the identification of a novel condensing peptide, CL22, which forms DNA complexes that efficiently transfect many cell lines, as well as primary dendritic and endothelial cells.

Low incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease and recurrent leukaemia in patients undergoing allogeneic haemopoietic stem cell transplantation from sibling donors with methotrexate and dose-monitored cyclosporin A prophylaxis.

One of the major aims of allogeneic haemopoietic stem cell transplantation has been the effective suppression of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) without loss of a graft-versus-leukaemia effect. For GVHD suppression, one of the most frequently used regimens has been the combination of cyclosporin (CsA) and a short course of methotrexate (MTX) although the optimal usage of these agents remains unclear. Here, we report the results of 55 patients with standard risk leukaemia who have undergone allogeneic transplantation using either bone marrow (n = 48) or G-CSF mobilised peripheral blood stem cells (n = 7) using CsA and MTX for GVHD prophylaxis where the dosage of CsA was regularly adjusted to maintain a trough whole blood level of 95-205 ng/ml for the first 50 days post-transplant.

Upregulation of intracellular glutathione by fibroblast-derived factor(s): enhanced survival of activated T cells in the presence of low Bcl-2.

Activated interleukin-2 (IL-2)-dependent T cells express high levels of Bcl-2 protein. On cytokine withdrawal, Bcl-2 expression decreases and the cells die rapidly by apoptosis. We have previously shown that the survival of IL-2-deprived T cells can be promoted by factor(s) secreted by fibroblasts.

Inhibition of T cell apoptosis in the rheumatoid synovium.

Synovial T cells in rheumatoid arthritis are highly differentiated and express a phenotype suggesting susceptibility to apoptosis (CD45RB dull, CD45RO bright, Bcl-2 low, Bax high, Fas high). However, no evidence of T cell apoptosis was found in synovial fluid from any of 28 patients studied. In contrast, synovial fluid from 10 patients with crystal arthritis showed substantial levels of T cell apoptosis.

Fibroblasts prevent apoptosis of IL-2-deprived T cells without inducing proliferation: a selective effect on Bcl-XL expression.

The apoptosis of human cytokine-deprived activated T cells can be prevented by a soluble mediator secreted by fibroblasts, epithelial and endothelial cells, and this rescue occurs with fibroblasts from different species. Fractionation of W138 fibroblast-conditioned medium indicated that the survival-promoting agent(s) were > 30,000 MW. The continuous presence of the survival factor was required for prevention of apoptosis, which did not involve the induction of proliferation.

Resolution of recombination intermediates by a mammalian activity functionally analogous to Escherichia coli RuvC resolvase.

A mammalian endonuclease that resolves Holliday junctions has been partially purified from extracts of calf thymus and Chinese hamster ovary cells. The activity acts upon (i) synthetic Holliday junctions and (ii) recombination intermediates made by the Escherichia coli RecA protein and appears to be functionally analogous to the E. coli RuvC protein.

Conjugal mobility of the multicopy plasmids NTP1 and NTP16.

Mobilization of the multicopy plasmid NTP16, like that of ColE1, is promoted by a range of conjugal plasmids. However, the mechanisms employed for NTP16 mobilization differ between groups. Mobilization by the IncI1 plasmid R64 requires trans-acting products from NTP16 plus a cis-acting region of the small plasmid.

Acute reversible renal failure secondary to renal candidiasis.

A diabetic patient presenting with bilateral enlarged kidneys and acute renal failure was found to have renal parenchymal candidiasis without obstruction. Treatment with amphotericin B resulted in return of renal function and decrease in renal size.